Born in Calgary, Alberta, Bartholomew-Poyser completed a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Education from the University of Calgary and a Master of Philosophy in Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. He began his career as a music educator before transitioning fully to conducting, serving as Assistant Conductor with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and as Associate Conductor with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Currently, he holds multiple prestigious positions: Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education at the San Francisco Symphony, Barrett Principal Education Conductor & Community Ambassador at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Youth Conductor & Creative Partner with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He is also Artist-in-Residence and Community Ambassador for Symphony Nova Scotia, where he conducts ballet, popular concerts, and outreach programs.

Bartholomew-Poyser has conducted esteemed orchestras across North America, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and Canadian Opera Company. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2022 with the Link Up Orchestra. His groundbreaking work has been featured in CBC’s award-winning documentary Disruptor Conductor, highlighting his concerts for neurodiverse audiences, prison populations, and LGBTQ2S+ communities.

A recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Jean-Marie Beaudet Prize for Orchestral Conducting and RBC Emerging Artist Grant, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser continues to inspire audiences globally through his commitment and advocacy for diversity in classical music.